A Nightmare on Elm Street
If imitation is the sincere strain of flattery , then Sharp Hand Joe isA Nightmare on Elm Street ’s Freddy Krueger ’s crowing fan . The aforementioned caricature line that reach the old sentence is quite familiar to the wad , but it is uncompleted . The full quote , often attributed to Irish poet and dramatist Oscar Wilde , is actually " Imitation is the sincere form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness " – and there was nothing more average than Sharp Hand Joe .
The firstElm Streetfilm was released in 1984 , and subsequence follow every year or two throughout the rest of the eighties until slow up down a bit in the 1990s . premature slasher film antagonists likeMichael Myersand Jason Voorhees were silent , personality - free boogeymen , but Freddy was different . With his unique modus operandi of invading the dreams of his victims , his penchant for one - liners , and his iconic chapeau , razor - taloned glove , and hallmark red and green striped sweater , Krueger was ripe for merchandising .
tie in : Why Freddy Krueger Has The Best Slasher Killer Quotes
Sharp Hand Joe , with his wholly unlike red and snowy sweater , begin sprightliness as just another flash knockoff some time during the tiptop of Freddy ’s selling heyday . Superheroic Man , Transformables , Spook Chasers : these were all unlicensed , badly manufactured version of popular , trademarked character that once were nigh everywhere . Often sold at drug and stationary stores , thesetoyswere the saving grace of last minute shopper who had n’t think to buy a endowment until they were in the car on the way to a political party , a last - ditch effort at a gift . However , Sharp Hand Joe ended up having a much bright future .
Sharp Hand Joe Was Ridiculous (& Hilarious)
Unlike the overwhelming absolute majority of these knockoff plaything , the caption of Sharp Hand Joe live on into the digital age . He was given a new rental on living thanks to the kitsch - loving , entertainment television blogger on Youtube . Before too long , Joe had become an Internet esthesis . Online printer offer t - shirts bearing his right of first publication infringement adjacent image , and he is even the subject of internetfan films . Original , pre - owned incisive Hand Joe action figure can be found on eBay with ask prices approach the triple digits .
Then , to extend the toy ’s hereafter , were the memes . Sharp Hand Joe has establish to be surprisingly various as both a subject and a punchline for internet memes that are enduring , thickly settled , and phone number far too many to list . One especially pop version of the meme involves comprise Sharp Hand Joe into the language of " Cotton Eyed Joe " , with penetrating Hand Joe replacing the titular character . Though certainly a strange objet d’art of trivia for fans of the slasher villain , Sharp Hand Joe had a surprising bequest for only being a cheapA Nightmare On Elm Streetknockoff toy dog .
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